From diet to smoking to monitoring how many hours you spend sitting, these are the habits unknowingly increasing your chances of suffering — or dying — from a stroke.

What is a stroke?

A stoke can occur when your brain is not receiving enough oxygenated blood. | IStock.com/stockdevil

When a blockage prevents oxygenated blood from reaching your brain, a stroke occurs. Occasionally, a blood vessel within the brain can become damaged or burst.

Your brain needs oxygen to continue performing its normal functions, and without it, its cells can become damaged or begin to die off completely. A stroke can cause brain damage and severe disability as a result. Many strokes are fatal.

Next: What causes blockages or other types of damage to brain cells?

What causes a stroke?

Take care of yourself to help prevent suffering from a stroke. | iStock.com

Plaque buildup in the arteries that transport blood to your brain can lead to stroke-causing blockages. Sometimes, blood clots can also prevent the brain from getting the oxygen it needs, resulting in brain cell damage and death.

High blood pressure or aneurysms are common causes of the types of strokes that occur inside the brain. Bleeding in the brain causes swelling, which can lead to irreversible brain damage.

Next: What does a stroke look like? Sometimes, signs and symptoms vary.

What are the signs of stroke?

Make sure you know the signs of a stroke, it could save a life. | iStock.com/Movus

Unfortunately, when someone presents with the following signs, they’re already in danger. But the signs themselves are often easy to recognize both in yourself and others.

Who is most at risk?

Stroke risk increases if you’re diagnosed with conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol.

You’re also at greater risk based on your age, gender, and race. These are factors you unfortunately can’t control. Therefore, it’s important to focus on the lifestyle factors you can control when trying to reduce your stroke risk.

Next: Let’s look closely at the habits that could increase your stroke risk even more.

Not working out often enough

Physical activity reduces stroke risk significantly when paired with other positive lifestyle factors. It’s good for your heart and overall blood flow, as well as your brain. When you don’t exercise, you’re more likely to gain weight and engage in less healthy eating patterns — all things that increase your stroke risk.

Next: Exercise is great — but this daily habit all but cancels out its health benefits.

Sitting too much

Sitting for long periods of time is actually one of the worst things you can do for your health. In fact, research has shown that excessive sitting increases heart attack and stroke risk even when you exercise regularly.

So working out for 30 minutes in the morning, following by eight hours or more of nonstop sitting, doesn’t do you much good. Get up and walk around at least once every hour to keep your heart and brain healthy.

Next: Drinking too much of this can have devastating health consequences.

Drinking too much alcohol

Cut back on the booze. | Kzenon/iStock/Getty Images

Research has shown that while light and moderate alcohol consumption seem to reduce stroke risk, heavy drinkers are at an increased risk of stroke. Alcohol can negatively influence your blood pressure, which increases your risk of suffering a brain bleed.

There’s nothing wrong with having a simple glass of wine with dinner. But too much can have devastating, even fatal, consequences.

Next: Too much of this in your blood can increase your risk of permanent brain damage.

Eating high-cholesterol foods

Do your best to keep your cholesterol levels in check. | iStock.com/BrianAJackson

Consuming too many calories

Being overweight increases your chances of having a stroke. | iStock.com

High calorie intake isn’t the only risk factor for overweight or obesity, but it’s still a major contributor in many cases.

Excessive weight gain — and the added fatty tissues associated with it — causes inflammation, which increases stroke risk. Overweight and obesity also increase your risk for other health conditions that elevate stroke risk, like diabetes.

Next: Are you addicted to these foods? You might want to work on that.

Eating foods high in sugar

Sugar will do your body no favors. | iStock.com/OcusFocus

Experts warn that a diet high in added sugars — found in many processed foods and sugar-sweetened drinks — makes you more likely to die of heart disease. A diseased heart, whether due to high blood pressure or other factors, also increases your chances of suffering a potentially fatal stroke.

Next: Put away that saltshaker before it’s too late.

Eating salty foods

Give the salt shaker a rest. | iStock.com/mitchrice

A high-salt diet raises blood pressure. Living with high blood pressure makes you more likely to suffer a brain bleed from a damaged blood vessel or ruptured aneurysm. You don’t have to cut out salt completely, but eating less of it can significantly improve your long-term health.

One of the easiest ways to reduce your sodium intake is to avoid adding extra salt to the foods you prepare. Try using herbs or other seasonings to add flavor to your food without raising your blood pressure.

Next: This potentially harmful nutrient, eating in excess, isn’t good for your health.

Eating too much saturated fat

Kick the junk foods and go for a healthy diet. | iStock.com/dolgachov

There’s conflicting research in regards to saturated fat’s negative health effects. Current dietary recommendations suggest consuming less than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, probably because foods high in saturated fat, like snack foods, also contain large amounts of calories, salt, and added sugars.

Limiting your intake, by default, might help you avoid severe health problems that could lead to a stroke.

Next: Quit this habit to protect you from stroke — and a number of other diseases.

Health conditions that increase stroke risk

If you already have a chronic health condition, you’re already more likely to have a stroke. People with heart disease, diabetes, and sickle cell disease all need to take extra precautions to prevent stroke. You’re also in danger if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Next: Here are the habits that could save your life.

Habits that decrease stroke risk

A good diet and plenty of exercise will help lower your risk of having a stoke. | iStock.com/Rawpixel Ltd

If you’re already managing a health condition like high blood pressure, knowing your numbers and reducing your symptoms can help prevent a stroke.

Showing up to regular checkups with your doctor can help monitor your health and reduce any modifiable stroke risk factors before they become life-threatening. Making small changes to your diet and exercise routine can also make a huge difference.